Handcuffing an out-of-control Georgia kindergartner. Was there a better response?
UPDATE Tuesday at 1:22 p.m.: Since writing about this yesterday when there was just the one news story, this incident has drawn widespread attention around the country.
The AJC now has a more detailed story online.
That story states:
Police said a small shelf thrown by the child struck the principal in the leg during the fracas. The child also jumped on a paper shredder and tried to break a glass frame, the police report states. The school called police. When an officer tried to calm the child in the principal’s office, she resisted, police say. She “was restrained by placing her hands behind her back and handcuffed,” a police report states.
A juvenile complaint was filed, accusing the girl of simple battery and damage to property. The police department’s policy is to handcuff people when they are taken to the police station, regardless of their age, interim Police Chief Dray Swicord said. “The reason we handcuff detainees is for the safety of themselves as well as the officer,” he said Tuesday.
The girl’s aunt, Candace Ruff, went with the child’s mother to pick her up from the police station. She said Salecia had been in a holding cell and complained about the handcuffs. “She said they were really tight. She said they really hurt her wrists,” Ruff said. “She was so shaken up when we went there to pick her up.”
The police chief said the girl was taken to the police department’s squad room, not a holding cell, and officers there tried to calm her and gave her a Coke.
The girl was suspended and can’t return to school until August, her mother, Constance Ruff, told WMAZ-TV, which first reported the story.
“We would not like to see this happen to another child, because it’s horrifying. It’s devastating,” her aunt told The Associated Press.
Here is the original post from Monday:
A few folks sent me links to this news story out of Milledgeville where an officer handcuffed a kindergartner for what police said were safety concerns about the child’s out-of-control behavior.
The readers who sent me the link to this story disapprove of the strong police response, insisting there are better ways to contain and calm a hysterical 6-year-old than clamping handcuffs on her. Afterward, the child was charged with simple assault and damage to property.
I read the comments posted to the WMAZ-TV site, and local respondents split over whether this was an overreaction. I expect we will hear more about this story and a more detailed police response.
According to the police report, a kindergartner was crying in the principal’s office at Creekside Elementary before police arrived Friday. The report says when the officer tried to calm the child, she resisted and was cuffed.
The little girl is accused of tearing items off the walls and throwing furniture. The report mentions the girl knocked over a shelf that injured the principal. Police say they tried to contact her mother but weren’t able to reach her. They took the child to the police station where she was charged with simple assault and damage to property. Because of her age, she will not have to go to court and will not be sentenced.
Her mother, Constance Ruff. says her daughter was suspended and cannot return to school until August. “She has mood swings some days, which all of us had mood swings some days. I guess that was just one of her bad days that day,” said Constance Ruff.
“A 6-year-old in kindergarten. They don’t have no business calling the police and handcuffing my child,” said Earnest Johnson, Salecia’s father.
“She might have misbehaved, but I don’t think she misbehaved to the point where she should have been handcuffed and taken downtown to the police department,” said her aunt, Candace Ruff. “Call the police? Is that the first step? Or is there any other kind of intervention that can be taken to help that child?”
WMAZ spoke with other police and sheriff’s departments. None of them could remember handcuffing a child that young. They say the use of handcuffs would be at the officer’s discretion and based on whether the child is a threat to herself or others.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
499 comments Add your comment
joann bailey
April 17th, 2012
1:49 pm
What she really needed was for her behind to be spanked and taught manners. This is what our kids think is right. If not my way then I will pitch a fit. NEVER HAPPENED AT MY HOUSE BECAUSE MY HUSBAND AND I DID NOT STAND FOR THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
wovoka
April 17th, 2012
1:50 pm
To those of you who thanked me for my post: you are most welcome. To those who simply feel the child should have been beaten or further humiliated..I do not think there is a word I can say to you that would change you. That will be up to your life experiences. There are so many possible reasons for this child’s behavior. I was a regular ed teacher for 30+ years and learned so much more than I ever taught. I have been kicked, spit upon, clawed, snotted on, vomited on, and the list goes on. I have also been hugged, received notes of love, had my room cleaned as a “surprise”, received beautiful hand-made cards, served at weddings of former students, been acknowledged in graduation speeches, and so on. Sometimes these acts from opposite ends of the spectrum were performed by the same kids. A lot of times the old adage, “meet the parents and you’ll understand the kids,” was true. A lot of angry, troubled children had nice parents..they were just beaten down by poverty and life. And I don’t know how to put this except to say just because someone may not be smart or live the way you would, that does not make that person bad. It is true some parents do not know what to do with their children. But most that I saw really did the best they could. It might not have been a “good” job or met the expectations of the middle class parenting handbook, but considering some IQs and socio-economic handicaps I saw, most did the best they could. Whether it was “good enough” is not up to me to judge. But I will say, these things happen, people blow up, people mess up, a day is ruined. A lesson is learned. But then tomorrow offers the chance to pick up and do a little better. Let’s move on and try to do better.
Cant be any worse
April 17th, 2012
1:51 pm
If the teacher, principal, and police officer were white, this is a WORSE CASE SCENARIO. That being said, if they had the parents permission, I guess its okay. But I would go nuts if someone handcuffed my 5 yr old without my permission. Of course, he has respect for authority, makes good marks, and knows how to control his Irish temper.
George
April 17th, 2012
1:54 pm
Well I have been in education for twenty years it is a tough call to make for even myself. georgia people try like hell to leave race out of it. they had to do something with very little time. The main thing is not letting the child get hurt or hurt anyone else.People have all the answer on the blog. Teaching is a tough job this is all the parents fault . I have two high schoolers the police would have to get me not them and their solve your problem.
Pluto
April 17th, 2012
1:55 pm
Have a colleague who was told at annual review by the admin that he didn’t need to allow his class to be so disrespectful to him. He explained that he had counselled, called home, written referrals and placed these dirt bags in detention and he had no other recourse. We are out of bullets here.
Barbara
April 17th, 2012
1:58 pm
First, I agree with the person who said this whole incident is the parents fault – obviously this behavior has been tolerated at home or this child wouldn’t behave in this manner at school. It’s obvious in the reaction of the family declaring that no child should have to suffer like their child did instead of addressing the out of control behavior that caused the whole situation. Secondly, teachers and administrators are not allowed to restrain students without the risk of a lawsuit – that is why they call the police. Our parental society is so sue-happy towards the school system that they don’t dare try to restrain a child themselves. So don’t be so surprised that they call the police to handle it when their hands are tied.
ken
April 17th, 2012
1:59 pm
what’s the problem…act like a fool get treated like one!
Cant be any worse
April 17th, 2012
2:00 pm
I want to add another tidbit. I whole-heartedly agree with the post from wovoka. I also taught, but in high school. A 6 yr old can be fixed so hopefully this wont happen again. But in my experience, if this situation happens to a kid of ANY age, just meet the parents……..that will explain most if not all of it.
alvabuch31
April 17th, 2012
2:01 pm
First of all, has anyone tried to find out why the child “went off”? Everyone’s so intent on blaming the child, that no one is asking what would make a child do that (and don’t say it’s the parents) because I have 7 grandchildren and ALL children throw tantrums at some point. Maybe not to the extreme this child did, but I agree if police and teachers can’t handle a 6 year old girl, they are in the wrong profession. And to handcuff a 6 year old, how would the police like it if it was his/her child? Of course she would be afraid, crying, screaming if she was put in a room and I might add “Without her parents or anyone familiar” and handcuffed!! People get real..What if it were your child? Even if you have trained them, all kids throw “fits” and if you say yours “never” do, I would be willing to bet you are lying!!
E-Lane
April 17th, 2012
2:06 pm
The parents of this little girl have MUCH bigger problems than being handcuffed by the police. Can you imagine what she’ll be like as a teenager?
Boca Baby
April 17th, 2012
2:10 pm
I posted a comment and then noticed that it was awaiting moderation. What? My comment was not crude or vulgar and most definitely not racist. In my opinion it was well written and grammatically correct. It made a clear point and incorporated an element of satire. I do not understand. As a result I am not going to read this article any longer and (after this one) not going to post. Get a life, please.
Tonya C.
April 17th, 2012
2:13 pm
http://milledgeville.13wmaz.com/news/news/69135-raw-video-salecia-johnsons-parents-speak-handcuffing
Full interview with the mother and father of the child
FormerTeach
April 17th, 2012
2:14 pm
Unless you’ve been there…I had a student who not only fought every adult who tried to calm her with words, etc. continued to hit, bite, spit, kick,destroy the office, and whatever else she could do. She was also in foster care so she knew that no adult could touch her anywhere on her body except her wrists.
Now maybe this foster care policy has changed since I retired, but in extreme cases desperate measures must be taken. At least this resource officer had witnesses around that he didn’t break any laws. Now let’s ask the real question? Has this child been SST for behavioral issues? This couldn’t have been her first time.
Unless you have worked in situations like this, please reserve judgements.
Yes, I have been hit by a student. And I couldn’t do anything about it. My own children have NEVER hit me.
Paul Lewis
April 17th, 2012
2:16 pm
Can the police come over here, I have a four year old in need of hand cuffing.
Reign
April 17th, 2012
2:18 pm
stop giving your children sugar, sodas and all that crap that’s causing them to act up. they may already have ADD or something like that and then the parents fill ‘em up with sugar and “there you go.” however, i don’t agree AT ALL with handcuffing children. there are better ways, people just don’t care. and it’s always a certain type that experiences this kind of madness….i won’t call it, but ya’ll know what i’m talking about.
Aquagirl
April 17th, 2012
2:18 pm
I posted a comment and then noticed that it was awaiting moderation. What?
Once again the auto-filter creates paranoid outrage. Your post could have accidentally contained a “forbidden” word which might even have been contained in another word, or split between two words.
AngryRedMarsWoman
April 17th, 2012
2:18 pm
The only better response would have been to cuff the individuals responsible for raising the child. We aren’t talking about a little temper tantrum – every child (and some adults…sigh) have meltdowns in public once in a while – this involved tearing up the office, throwing furniture and injuring at least one person AFTER being sent to the office for inappropriate behavior in the halls and classroom. That is not a simply temper tantrum, that is a major problem – especially when the mother chalks it up to her 6 year old having a bad day. HUH??? What kind of parent raises a child to behave like that? It is one thing for your tired/frustrated child to cry in the store and maybe even sit down in the aisle, but what parent would allow that to turn into tearing up displays, pushing jars off the shelf and hitting the clerk….apparently, this little girl’s mom would call it a bad day, call the news to complain about the store and continue to let her child do whatever the heck she wants.
Darren
April 17th, 2012
2:19 pm
I would’ve apologized to the School, Principal and Police then I would’ve started a 3 month long @ss whoopin. She would return a brand new child!
awful mc dougal
April 17th, 2012
2:22 pm
look at it as a training exercise for future events.
SouthGaTeacher
April 17th, 2012
2:22 pm
First of all, I think that calling the police was the appropriate response to the situation. Like others have said, teachers can’t restrain students anymore. At my school, you have to have restraint certification and attend restraint courses before you can do anything like that to a child. Yes, I agree that she is six years old and that is a little young to be cuffed. However, what choice did she leave the administration/police. She was tearing up the office and so worked up she harmed an adult and/or herself. Sometimes tough love is the best kind.
Nichole
April 17th, 2012
2:33 pm
Speaking from an educator’s point of view, NONE of you know what it feels like to deal with an irate child. You can use every method possible, but once it gets to the point where you are injuring others, then you have to take extreme measures. These kids today have issues, that these parents arent trying to understand, nor trying to seek help. And because of that, you have incidents like this young girl- violent and causing a ruckus in class. So to all of you speaking out against the police officer and saying that too much force was used- YOU try to restrain a child that is on a violent rage, and tell me how you would handle it. Im sure you will be calling 911 quicker than anything or anyone else.
SP
April 17th, 2012
2:38 pm
Handcuffing the child was extremely excessive. Any adult there could have easily restrained the child. Teachers should have the right to perform their job in an unobstructed work environment.
Only in Jaw-Jah!!!
April 17th, 2012
2:42 pm
I saw the headline in the Toronto Star and then said to myself – “only in America” – sadly, and not to my surprise found out it was “only in Georgia”. Having lived in Atlanta for a few years now, I am still very shocked by how many Southerners firmly believe the best way to have a well behaved child, is to beat the crap out of them. If you beat an adult, you’d be charged with assault but if you beat a child, it’s discipline??? Violence creates bullies. If you treat a child with kindness, respect and love, you will have a child who is kind, respectful and loving. This poor child needs love. She may well have a behavioral problem, but since Americans love their tax dollars being spent on other countries and not on their own health, this child will be unable to get the help she needs.
BTW – It never fails to amaze me that the only thing some black people learned from slavery, was how to use a whip. (I’m black – so don’t start).
COME ON PEOPLE, HANDS ARE FOR HUGGING, NOT HITTING!!!
GM of IST @ CCDOE in GMU
April 17th, 2012
2:44 pm
“Handcuffing the child was extremely excessive. Any adult there could have easily restrained the child. Teachers should have the right to perform their job in an unobstructed work environment.”
That’s the problem SP. If an adult tried to restrain the child they would probably be sued. And since the child is black, if the adult were white, Al Sharpton would be booking his airline tickets post haste.
jimbo
April 17th, 2012
2:45 pm
this kid is probably MUCH worse than the left biased media reports. The parents are prob no better. Jail them all, save a murder down the line
sam
April 17th, 2012
2:46 pm
Probably just preparing her for wearing them in another 10 years…really
A kid out of control like that is going nowhere but to jail in the future
Why is everything a child does the responsibility of anyone else but the parent?
dre
April 17th, 2012
2:48 pm
Look here. The city of Milledgeville elected Rusty Kidd as their state rep. Need I say more? Anything goes if that’s their mental capacity.
MC
April 17th, 2012
2:49 pm
Kids are out of control these days and had MY CHILD been doing that in class… It probably would be best for the cop to take them away in cuffs because maybe they would remember next time they decided to have a tantrum in public. HANDLE YOUR CHILDREN!!! RAISE YOUR CHILDREN!! Stop blaming blaming blaming and TAKE RESPONCIBILITY!!!! If there were a permission slip that required me to agree that a teacher beat my child if they were bad… I would sign it in 2.2 seconds.. BRING BACK THE STINKING ROD!!! **THERE IS NO RESPECT FOR TEACHERS TODAY** None and children have more rights that ought to be alowed… They know the teachers have to walk on egg shells around them. RIDICULOUS!!!!!!!!!!
Not surprised
April 17th, 2012
2:50 pm
Ironically, I was in Milledgeville last Friday at Georgia College. I visit a couple of times a year because it’s where I were born. The two local papers, Union Recorder and Baldwin Bulletin are just reporting the story today. That’s the way things are done there; keep you in the dark.
My sister-in-law, who still lives there and have grand kids in school there, has mentioned many times how this particular school calls the police and have students taken off to jail. So I guess that why the local media did mentioned the story because its not that unusual.
The Union Recorder is reporting there will be press conference today at 3:00.
Danny
April 17th, 2012
2:54 pm
SP, obviously you didn’t get the point that NO ONE is allowed to restrain anyone EXCEPT the police or there would even more B.S. going and it is due to this social weakness where we teach kids that we are all winners. Back in the day you did what an adult told you and that was that but in todays society, you can do what ever you want and everybody has issues and there are so many excuses. That’s why a lot of kids are drug addicts, disrespectful, thieves, murderers and socially out of control. Yes, the parents are to blame, families are to blame and everyone that makes excuses that bad behavior is okay.
Maybe you should scroll through AJC.com and look how many stories of 8 year olds bringing guns to school, shooting others, etc. That was UNHEARD of 20 years ago!
Teaching 30 Years
April 17th, 2012
2:54 pm
Instead of being upset with the police, the parent should be upset with the child. That’s what the problem is. If the parent(s) had been disciplining the child at an early age, they would not have this problem today. Some parents are always making excuses for their child’s behavior, when they should be dealing with reality. If they don’t discipline this child now, this problem will continue to esculate and getting this child out of police custody will become the norm. Pay now or pay later!
gamom
April 17th, 2012
2:57 pm
To all the teachers on this blog saying nonsense like, ….kids are getting worse today, the parents are not doing their job, and telling everyone to work in education because we parents have no clue what it is like…I will say this. …PLEASE GET OUT OF EDUCATION. IT IS YOUR ATTITUDE THAT NEEDS TO BE CHECKED. WE PARENTS DON’T WANT TEACHERS LIKE YOU NEAR OUR KIDS.
gamom
April 17th, 2012
3:00 pm
To: Only in Jaw-jah — THANK YOU for your post. The idiots on this blog who think beating the crap out of kids is appropriate need to be investigated themselves. Sad thing is, that in Georgia corporal punishmnet is still legal!! If parents did that, we’d be under the jail. 11 Alive reported over 21,000 incidents! ISN’t that disgusting..Check this link…where it even gives school by school and county by county data – http://www.11alive.com/news/article/226264/3/Pain-as-punishment-Legal-in-Ga-schools — I can only imagine these numbers ‘might’ be on the low side….!
Barbara
April 17th, 2012
3:01 pm
Give me a break! This child was out of control….lack of Parenting…obviously. Throwing a temper tantrum at 6 years old “having a bad day”……what a Lame excuse from the “parents”. The police and school took the right action. The parents are lazy. The child’s wrists were hurting….what about how she hurt the principal….did she even apologize for her actions. Probably not because the parents have not taught her how to apologize nor have they taught her how to act.
High Teacher of 30 years
April 17th, 2012
3:02 pm
Hell yes the police did the correct thing. For those that have not seen an out of control child, go in the schools and see what teachers and administrators have to deal with. The idea of the aunt saying they want to bring attention to this so this won’t happen to anyone else’s child. BULL……….. teach the child to respect authority and this would not have happened. If you touch them, you get sued, if you don’t touch them and they hurt someone else, you get sued. It is sorry parenting…………………if my child did that, I would say “take them to jail.” VISIT THE SCHOOLS…………and see what teachers and administrators have to deal with…………A SIX YEAR OLD………………….REALLY???????????????? My mom would have made me think I was dead……..not complain to the police officer. She would have told the police officer to restrain her…………..START PARENTING AND STOP COMPLAINING WHEN YOUR CHILD IS BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shauna
April 17th, 2012
3:02 pm
I do not see a problem in what the police did. The child was going crazy and maybe it was meant to scare the child a little so that when she gets older they won’t have to come back and take her off to jail. What can teachers do for children that are out of control and getting worse every year.
gamom
April 17th, 2012
3:02 pm
Nichole – I know how to deal with irate children..! I am a parent..have seen it all, please do not insult parents’ intelligence.
Contractor
April 17th, 2012
3:05 pm
CH,
Wow, a lot of big words and name calling in your last post. Shows your class because you provided no answers, only resulted to calling me an idiot. Enjoy raising a kid that will never respect you, because you sound like a pathetic excuse of a parent threatening DFACS in every post you write. I can only laugh off the notion that you were probably picked on growing up and live a loose lifestyle allowing your kids to act whichever way they feel so you actually can feel loved and liked. Do us all a favor and don’t reproduce, because this country can’t afford another soft sissy like yourself running the streets.
Barbara
April 17th, 2012
3:06 pm
Respect School and Education…….some parents just don’t get it. Typically those parents and hence their children are the uneducated.
tom
April 17th, 2012
3:07 pm
Another classic example of what does not go on at home surely does not get brought to school.
Lack of…………
Hmmmmmmm
April 17th, 2012
3:08 pm
@gamom and Only in Jaw ja….
Please, just get some help! Some of the most IGNORANT posts I think I have ever read….
tom
April 17th, 2012
3:10 pm
making excuses from home is an american tradition these days.
accountability?
blame…yes the american way.
HERE COMES THE JUDGE
April 17th, 2012
3:10 pm
I strongly agree with using the handcuffs…if nothing more than presenting a “scared straight” moment. I doubt very seriously doubt that she’ll ever want to be in handcuffs again…better now than 20 years from now when the charge might be assault or worse (murder)!! If she had not been restrained she might have seriously injured herself then her parents would have been upset that all those adults could not control a little girl…also sound like a behavioral problem…probably throws tantrems at home…and gets away with it!!!
LC Fagin,Jr.
April 17th, 2012
3:10 pm
I should know better than to enter into this dialogue about a six-year old demon’s behavior at school but here goes. while everybody has commented about what is appropriate for a “well behaved six year old” in a well diciplined society, as compared to how six year olds are treated in this run-away, crazy society we are hiding today, what we are overlooking is counsel given sometime during the First Century that in the last days [of Earth"s history] people will exhibit evil traits (1 Tim 3:1-9). Last time I checked, even a six-year out of control child qualifies to be classified as a person and the behavior is well befitting.
Tonya C.
April 17th, 2012
3:13 pm
gamom:
But you are against corporal punishment. This school district doesn’t allow it or seem to use it. But you don’t want a kid restrained when they become a danger to themself or others. What exactly should they have done? The parents could not be reached and the student was disrupting the school day of others.
And being a parent makes you no expert on being a teacher. Handling children who are yours is very different from handling a classroom of 25-30 kids all from different homes and backgrounds.
mom3
April 17th, 2012
3:14 pm
So, some of you are suggesting that this officer, or any of the adults in the school try and restrain the child without the use of handcuffs. There is no doubt in my mind that if an adult had put their hands on that child, that there would soon be a lawsuit directed at the teacher, school and county. The teacher would be labeled some sort of ’sexual deviant’ that ‘inappropriately touches small children’. Their careers would be ruined. If I were a teacher now, I wouldn’t lay a hand on any child, no matter how innocently, for fear of being sued by the brat’s parents.
Additionally, for the safety of every other child in that school, I say RESTRAIN AWAY. And move that child to a more appropriate facility where they can no longer interrupt, distract and endanger!
tom
April 17th, 2012
3:16 pm
tonya and mom3….good posts.
dougmo2
April 17th, 2012
3:23 pm
Was there a better response? – Yes, it is called a buttwhipping.
Cast the first stone
April 17th, 2012
3:23 pm
I find it interesting that many are making nasty and inappropriate comments, not only about the parents, but about the child. Has it dawned on anyone that this child might have issues that require professional help? This, obviously, was not a ‘normal’ tantrum. Calling the parents stupid or unfit doesn’t help anyone if the child needs help. Why are we all so instantly judgmental?
ncgreybr
April 17th, 2012
3:26 pm
Yeah! Handcuffs are appropriate! Use them a little more and take the kids away to jail and maybe the other kids will get the hint! These kids get away with ANYTHING at home and think they can do it at school too! One person who posted was right. If the teacher or principal had tried to stop her or held her arms while she “calmed down”, the mother (where’s dad?) would have exploded! “You touched my child! I’m suing!”
I own a retail store and see how children behave. I’ve had 8 year olds say sternly “MOM! I told you to come here and look at this!” and the mother obediently comes and looks! I had to politely tell a dad that his little darling (who he had told “Honey…don’t touch!” a dozen times and was ignored) was destroying some packaging, trying to open a box. He took the box away from her and as they left he looked at me and called me a “Fuc&%n As(&^le!” (apparently because I let him know Buffy wasn’t perfect.)
These children aren’t taught how to behave at home and then they’re sent to school and they behave like animals at school too.